CompTIA CDIA+ Certification Examination Objectives

Version Date: 05/01/2005

Introduction
CompTIA’s CDIA+ certification is an internationally recognized credential acknowledging competency
and professionalism in the document imaging / document management industry. CDIA+ candidates
possess critical knowledge of all major areas and technologies used to plan, design and specify an imaging
system.

To achieve CDIA+ certification, the examinee must take and pass the exam within the specified time (90
minutes). The skills and knowledge measured by this examination are derived from an industry-wide and
worldwide job task analysis, which was validated through a survey. The results of the survey are used in
weighting the domains and ensuring that the weighting is representative of the relative importance of that
content to the job requirements of a document imaging professional with twelve to eighteen months on-the-
job experience.

NOTE: This examination blueprint for the CDIA+ examination includes the weighting and test objectives.
Example topics and concepts are included to clarify the test objectives and should not be construed as a
comprehensive list of all the content of this examination.

Following the exam blueprint is a list of acronyms used on the CDIA+ exam.

The table below lists the domains measured by this examination and the extent to which they are
represented in the examination.

Domain % of Examination
1.0 Gather Business Requirements 25%
2.0 Analyze Business Process 22%
3.0 Recommend Solution 16%
4.0 Design Solution 24%
5.0 Plan for the Implementation 13%
TOTAL 100%

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CompTIA CDIA+ Certification Examination Objectives
Version Date: 05/01/2005

Response Limits
The examinee selects from four (4) or more response options, the option that best completes the statement
or answers the question. Distracters or wrong answers are response options that examinees with
incomplete knowledge or skill would likely choose, but are generally plausible responses fitting into the
content area. Test item formats used in this examination are:

Multiple-choice: The examinee selects one option that best answers the question or completes a statement.
The option can be embedded in a graphic where the examinee “points and clicks’ on their selection choice
to complete the test item.

Sample Directions: Read the statement or question and from the response options, select only the option(s)
that represent the most correct or best answer(s).

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CompTIA CDIA+ Certification Examination Objectives
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Domain 1.0 Gather Business Requirements

Content Limits

1.1 Define the problem and determine the goal of the solution

1.2 Determine the internal groups that will work with the solution and assess their skill levels

1.3 Determine the external groups that will work with the solution

1.4 Determine where will people access the system, in which locations, using what type of connections

1.5 Determine the regional and organizational compliance, legal, and standardization requirements (e.g.,
document retention rules and laws)

1.6 Determine the security needs (e.g., access, document security)

1.7 Determine the project timeline

1.8 Identify integration requirements (e.g., with legacy systems)

1.9 Determine the capacity requirements for server processing and storage (e.g., peak processing)

1.10 Document quantities of documents (both electronic and paper if applicable)

1.11 Determine the long-term storage capacity requirements

1.12 Define query requirements (e.g., number per day, number of query users)

1.13 Analyze the input requirements (resolution, image size, volume, scanner performance) to select the
appropriate input devices and interfaces based on the characteristics of the source documents (e.g.,
color, weight, finish)

1.14 Calculate the amount of image and indexing data (database or file system) to be stored based on the
document life cycle requirements

1.15 Determine the needed capacity, response times, and throughput rates

1.16 Collect all detailed information required for solution design (e.g., technological environment,
infrastructure, types of operating systems, databases)

1.17 Determine growth needs and plan for scalability

1.18 Determine the required service levels for maintenance

1.19 Identify the company's vision and mission, goals, characteristics of the business (e.g., business
vision, current and future business challenges, business standards, IT infrastructure)

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1.20 Determine and confirm capacity, quantities and types of data to validate the storage requirements
and growth estimates

1.21 Determine the need for back file or data conversion/migration is required

1.22 Create specific requirements document

1.23 Document the current records storage management requirements and how the new solution addresses
these

1.24 Determine workflow rules (e.g., flow diagrams)

1.25 Develop an acceptance criteria for the imaging solution

1.26 Determine user modifications to image ( e.g. annotations, user stamps, electronic signing,
highlighting)

1.27 Determine manual workflow (e.g., ad hoc or non-rules based)

1.28 Determine manual integration needs.

1.29 Determine output requirements (fax, email, printing)

1.30 Determine documents preparation requirements, user interactions, (e.g., sorting requirements, batch
sizes, document separators)

1.31 Determine paper handling and disposal process

1.32 Recommend alternatives for document preparation

1.33 Define specific retrieval needs and system requirements to support retrieval

1.34 Document all the information collected during requirements-gathering phase, obtaining user’s
acceptance sign-off and validation towards them

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CompTIA CDIA+ Certification Examination Objectives
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Domain 2.0 Analyze Business Process

Content Limits
2.1 Gather the business requirements and expectations (e.g., ROI, work improvements, customer
service, access to data) by interviewing the project owner and key persons to determine which
processes will benefit from DMS/DIS and by reviewing the company's documents (e.g., Web,
company brochures, RFP)

2.2 Scope the different aspects of the current business process (e.g., individual tasks, processes, process
owners, interaction with people and processes, outside influences)

2.3 Analyze all factors that have to do with current business processes (e.g., human factors (what, how,
when, who, and why the tasks are performed), environmental factors, technical factors) (i.e.,
Transformation Life Cycle)

2.4 Determine the volumes (input/output) for the selected business process

2.5 Perform a Simulation of the current process to determine the baseline

2.6 Identify the cost structure and budget (e.g., project and company)

2.7 Analyze the current document process and determine the document characteristics (e.g., form of
documents, current document management, volume, sources, locations, physical characteristics)

2.8 Define the methodology of the business analysis (e.g., using a holistic approach) and the necessary
tools

2.9 Perform continuous monitoring to track the current process evolution, additional new processes, and
confirm capacity, quantity and type of data to confirm storage requirements and growth estimates

2.10 Use the information gathered to determine whether a document imaging/document management
solution is viable

2.11 Create a communication plan (e.g., types, content, and media) in order to disseminate project goals
and benefits at strategic and operational levels

2.12 Define informal aspects of the business process

2.13 Identify the business culture and organizational hierarchy (e.g., Team vs. Individual, Micro vs.
Macro management, Politics, Change Management, Quality controls, Unions, Morale, Boundaries of
Change, exception handling)

2.14 Determine the current document security process

2.15 Identify the current technology (e.g., scanners, PCs, servers, software) and determine whether a
record storage management process/solution currently exists

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CompTIA CDIA+ Certification Examination Objectives
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Domain 3.0 Recommend Solution

Content Limits
3.1 Identify the possible business scenarios to determine a variety of solutions (e.g., minimal solution,
comfort zone solution, best practice solution)

3.2 Review and validate the requirements with all parties affected by the proposed solution (e.g., end
users, IT, CIO, administrators, help desk, support)

3.3 Quantify the alternative solutions by identifying the features, benefits, ROI

3.4 Identify the consequences of each of the alternative solutions

3.5 Identify the impact of proposed solution to the end user (e.g., revisions to job roles, departmental
organization, training, physical document security)

3.6 Identify, verify, and document assumptions, risks, and issues related to the project

3.7 Propose the optimal solution

3.8 Present proposed solution design to client for review (e.g., prototype/mock-up screens or flow
diagram of requirements process)

3.9 Compare the proposed solution to the current process

3.10 Gather feedback from presentations in an interactive session and get commitment from the client

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CompTIA CDIA+ Certification Examination Objectives
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Domain 4.0 Design Solution

Content Limits
4.1 Select and configure hardware, software, and define the infrastructure

4.2 Select required image enhancement tools (e.g., de-skew, de-speckle, rotate, scale to gray, border
removal)

4.3 Determine the appropriate types of storage (e.g., RAID, WORM, microform, SAN) based upon
document life cycle and the record retention guidelines

4.4 Determine server/client/network/ web operating systems and databases

4.5 Define components of the solution and identify the reuse of existing components

4.6 Calculate image size and volume of both input and output to estimate the impact on network
performance based upon solution requirements (e.g., intranet and Internet)

4.7 Identify the impact of proposed solution on the network

4.8 Define the indexing structure (indices, document classes, attributes)

4.9 Define integration aspects (e.g., legacy systems, desktop applications, CRM/ERP/B2B/B2C/B2All)

4.10 Define the database management solution

4.11 Define the user interface

4.12 Select the required retrieval devices (e.g., monitors: size, resolution and refresh rate) based upon the
characteristics of the source documents and on the characteristics of use (e.g., multiple exhibition)

4.13 Design the input environment

4.14 Document the capture process (e.g., format transformation or conversion, image import, scanning,
faxes, email, or combination, exception process)

4.15 Design how automated techniques such as OCR/ICR/OMR/MICR Barcodes/Forms Recognition,

will be utilized to reduce data entry while extracting data from the documents is carried out

4.16 Design the output environment

4.17 Select the required interfaces based upon the characteristics of both the source documents and the
output devices

4.18 Design the document management environment (e.g., security, authorization, versioning)

4.19 Design the storage architecture based on the storage performance issues (e.g., physical location, cost,
speed, retrieval time, environment)

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CompTIA CDIA+ Certification Examination Objectives
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4.20 Test the design (e.g., convert (scan etc.) a suitable quantity and types of documents)

4.21 Design the backlog conversion strategy and methodology

4.22 Define and design the roles and responsibilities to maintain and administer the solution

4.23 Design the appropriate levels of system security (i.e., document integrity, tracking and log file,
access levels

4.24 Design the rules for the business processes that apply to the documents managed via workflow tools
integrated to the DM/DI system (e.g., ad hoc or structured)

4.25 Design the backup/disaster recovery methodology

4.26 Define the types of users and the associated user profile

4.27 Obtain and document client’s agreement towards the results accomplished during this phase

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CompTIA CDIA+ Certification Examination Objectives
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Domain 5.0 Plan for the Implementation

Content Limits
5.1 Develop the implementation plan (e.g., timeline, objectives, quality assurance)

5.2 Determine the need for change management

5.3 Explain the responsibilities and plan for implementing the solution

5.4 Develop a cultural change management plan

5.5 Assess entry level skills and develop a training plan for selected groups and individuals

5.6 Obtain and document client’s agreement towards the results accomplished during this phase

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CompTIA CDIA+ Certification Examination Objectives
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ACRONYMS USED IN CompTIA CDIA+ EXAM

ADF Automatic Document Feeder
ADO ActiveX Data Objects
ADU Automatic Duplexing Unit
AP Accounts Payable
API Application Programming Interface
AVI Audio Video Interleave
B2AII Business to All
B2B Business to Business
B2C Business to customer
BMP Bit Map
CAR Computer Assisted Retrieval
CD Compact Disc
CD -R Compact Disc Recordable
CEO Chief Executive Officer
CFO Chief Financial Officer
CIO Chief Information Officer
CMYK Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
COLD Computer Output to Laser Disk
CRM Customer Relationship Management
CSS Cascading Style Sheets
DDS Digital Data Storage
DIS Document Imaging Solution
DLT Digital Linear Tape
DM / DI Document Management / Document Imaging
DMS Document Management System
DMS / DIS Document Management System/Document Imaging System
dpi dots per inch
DRM Digital Rights Management
DSL Digital Subscriber Line
DVD Digital Video Disc
DVD +R Digital Video Disc-Recordable
DVD -R Digital Video Disc+Recordable
ECC Error Correction Control
EDM Electronic Document Management
EDMS Electronic Document Management System

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CompTIA CDIA+ Certification Examination Objectives
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EDS Electronic Document System

ERP Enterprise Resource Planning
FTP File Transfer Protocol
GB Gigabyte
GIF Graphics Interchange Format
HSM Hierarchical Storage Management
HTTP Hypertext Transfer Protocol
HTTPS Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
ICR Intelligent Character Recognition
IDE Integrated Drive Electronics
IMS Image Management System
ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
ISIS Image and Scanner Interface Specification
IT Information Technology
JDBC JAVA Database Connect
JPEG Joint Photographic Expert Group
JSP JavaServer Pages
K Thousand
KB Kilobyte
LAN Local Area Network
LDAP Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
MAC MacIntosh
MBps Megabytes per second
MFD Multi-functional Device
MICR Magnetic Ink Character Recognition
MO Magneto-Optical
NAS Network Attached Storage
NT New Technology
OCR Optical Character Recognition
ODBC Open Database Connectivity
ODMA Open Document Management API
OMR Optical Mark Recognition
OS Operating System
PC Personal Computer
PCL Printer Control Language
PDF Portable Document Format

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PDL Page Description Language

PKI Public Key Infrastructure
POP3 Post Office Protocol version 3
ppm pages per minute
PS Postscript
RAID Redundant Array of Independent Disks
RFI Request For Information
RFP Request For Proposal
RGB Red, Green, Blue
ROI Return on Investment
SAN Storage Area Network
SCSI Small Computer System Interface
SGML Standard Generalized Markup Language
SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
SNMP Simple Network Management Protocol
SQL Structured Query Language
SSL Secure Sockets Layer
TCP / IP Transfer Control Protocol / Internet Protocol
TFTP Trivial File Transfer Protocol
TIFF Tagged Image File Format
The TWAIN Working Group provides a specification that helps scanner and camera vendors
TWAIN write drivers for their devices.
USB Universal Serial Bus
VPN Virtual Private Network
WAN Wide Area Network
WCMS Web Content Management System
WORM Write Once, Read Many
XML Extensible Markup Language

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